Softball Picked to Win Third Consecutive MW TitleSB: SDSU picked to win third consecutive MW title

Kathy Van Wyk and the Aztecs are picked to win the league once again this year.

Feb. 4, 2014

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -
The San Diego State softball team has been picked to win the Mountain West regular season title for the third consecutive year in a preseason poll voted on by the league's nine coaches, the conference announced Tuesday.

The Aztecs garnered 63 points, including seven of the nine first-place votes, outdistancing runner-up Fresno State's 56 points and two first-place votes. Boise State was picked to finish third with 42 points, while Colorado State (38) and San Jose State (38) tied for fourth. Nevada (36), UNLV (27), New Mexico (13) and Utah State (11) rounded out the preseason poll.

SDSU is coming off a 36-20 season in 2013, advancing to the NCAA tournament for a school-record sixth consecutive year and capturing its sixth Mountain West title and second straight league championship.

San Diego State returns eight starters (including pitchers) from last year's squad, including Easton All-Americans Lorena Bauer (San Diego/Steele Canyon HS) and Patrice Jackson (Kansas City, Mo.). Three all-MW selections are back as well, led by Jackson (2013 MW Player of the Year), Danielle O'Toole (2013 MW Freshman of the Year) and Bauer. Additionally, Hayley Miles, who was a NFCA All-American in 2012, the MW Co-Player of the Year and is on the 2014 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List, is back after redshirting the 2013 campaign.

The Aztecs kick off their 2014 campaign at Arizona State's Kajikawa Classic this weekend, beginning with games against Appalachian State and Oregon State on Thursday (Feb. 6). SDSU will also face No. 22/20 Stanford the following day (Friday), and Cal Poly and Seattle on Saturday.